(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bridges for stringed musical instruments and, more particularly, to an adjustable bridge whose supporting base is adapted to fit a variety of contours of instrument surfaces.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The sounding board of mandolins and similarly stringed instruments varying widely in curvature from the bouts or sides to the crest of the table. Some instruments are relatively flat while others are decidedly arched with different degrees of arching by different makers. In addition, it is frequently necessary to change or replace the bridge because of breakage or for various other reasons. While bridges are supplied in the trade in various sizes and shapes it is necessary to fit the bridge for the particular instrument for which it is intended. The process of correctly fitting the bridge, in particular the feet of the bridge, is a very difficult one and in fact is practically impossible except to the expert repairer or luthier. Many attempts have been made to provide a simple and inexpensive means for fitting a bridge by providing articulated feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,737,338, issued to Schrader, teaches a bridge having articulated feet so that the feet are self-adjustable to the various contours of a violin table. The feet are pivotally attached to the bottom of the base and, accordingly, pivot to fit the contours of the violin sound board.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,382, issued to Melita, discloses an adjustable base for use with string instruments. The base includes a pair of horizontal feet in spaced relationship to one another and joined by a flexible band. The feet are each attached to a pivotally supported threaded post which may be adjusted to raise or lower each end of the bridge. The pivoting foot accommodates varying surfaces of the violin sound board.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,494, issued to Jaquith, discloses an improvement in prior art bridges which includes pivotal support feet permitting the support feet to aline themselves to the contour of the instrument and includes locking means which prevents the pivoting support feet from lateral movement in the direction of the strings.
U.S. Pat. No. 669,902, issued to Runkles, discloses an adjustable bridge having a threaded rod extending therethrough and a thumb screw for adjusting the relative distance between width of the feet from one another.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,381,187, issued to Grover, discloses a bridge for stringed instruments in which the main bar in its supports are connected by slotted portions which interlocked and which a plurality of slots of the interlocking portions are of different depths so that the height of the bridge may be adjusted with respect to one end and the other. However, all of the prior art devices include free floating feet which are not capable of being biased into more musically desirable positions.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved bridge for stringed musical instruments includes means for adjusting the point of contact between the feet and the sound board while, at the same time, adjusting the height of the body of the bridge along its length.